Loss of rent insurance covers the money you would lose, as a landlord, if your property becomes uninhabitable due to an insured event (e.g. a fire or flood) and your tenants are forced to move out. Loss of rent insurance enables you to claim back the lost income.
Loss of rent insurance is an optional cover type that you can add to your landlord insurance policy for an additional premium.
Loss of rent insurance at Direct Line is called loss of rental income insurance. You can add this to your residential, commercial or multi-property landlord insurance policy, for an extra layer of cover.
You can take up loss of rental income when you start your policy with us or, if you already have landlord insurance with Direct Line, you can add loss of rental income at any point during the policy term.
When you rely on rent paid by your tenants to cover your own bills, it's important to make sure that the properties you let remain in good working order, but sometimes things happen that are outside of your control.
If your property becomes damaged by a storm, for example, your tenants could be forced to move themselves or their business elsewhere.
As a landlord, you may not be contractually obliged to provide alternative accommodation if your property becomes uninhabitable. However, if your tenants move out, you would lose out on rental income. Having loss of rent insurance in place means you won't be left out of pocket.
There are other reasons why a tenant might stop paying rent. If a tenant is struggling financially, for example if they suddenly lose their job, they may no longer have the funds available to make their rent payments. If this happens, you potentially face months of unpaid rent and even a legal dispute.
Fortunately, you can cover yourself for this risk by adding rent guarantee cover to your residential landlord insurance policy. We'll repay any unpaid rent while your tenants are still in the property, covering up to £250,000 per claim. We will also cover the costs of repossessing the property if your tenants refuse to leave.
Rent guarantee cover is an extension of our legal expenses add-on. Rent guarantee is only available for residential properties, not commercial or mixed-use properties. You can learn more about rent guarantee and how it can help safeguard your income here.
With lots of different cover options available, you might not be sure which cover types to include in your insurance policy. We've outlined the differences between loss of rent and rent guarantee, so that you can make an informed decision.